Maybe someday TV show will select president

Oprah Winfrey smiled teasingly as a TV interviewer asked her about a rumor that she might run for president of the United States.

Here was yet another nail in the coffin of democracy. Apparently the way Americans govern themselves is all wrong. For more than 200 years we have been selecting our leaders using false assumptions.

We assume that if you want to build a house you use a carpenter, someone who has skill and experience in building houses.

Likewise, we have selected — elected — our political leaders, our president, from people who have experience and skill in governing and legislating — senators, governors, cabinet secretaries, generals.

But, consider some of the latest political doings that have grabbed headlines:

Donald Trump elected president of the United States.

Oprah Winfrey mulling a run for president of the United States.

Chance the rapper conferring with Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner on how to

reduce violent crime in Chicago.

These political activities are virtually politician free.

What Trump, Winfrey and Chance have in common is not their political experience and skill but their celebrity. They are well known for being well-known.

Celebrity seems to carry a disproportionate weight in our society even when it comes to life-and-death issues such as health care, public safety, economics, diplomacy — governing.

Should we pay attention to what celebrities say because they are well-known? What insight does celebrity bestow?

But, if we do pay more attention to celebrities that to those with experience and skill in governing the next step in our political evolution might be that we select our leaders, our president, as we select winners on Dancing With the Stars or any of the other contest

shows that glut the air waves.

Will, one day, we all tune in a TV show, view the talent and then cast our vote and the contestant with the most votes becomes president of the United States?